Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0403608 (ureter)
 9,655 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The polysialic acid moiety of the neural cell adhesion molecule has been shown to represent an onco-developmental antigen which can be detected in both embryonic human kidney and Wilms' tumor but not in normal adult human kidney. In the present comparative study, Wilms' tumors, clear cell (bone-metastasizing) sarcomas of kidney, cystic nephromas, renal cell carcinomas, transitional cell carcinomas and papillomas of the renal pelvis, ureter and urinary bladder (as well normal transitional epithelium from these regions). Ewing sarcomas, hepatoblastomas, rhabdomyosarcomas, and carcinomas of the stomach, colon, exocrine pancreas, lung, and esophagus, were investigated immunohistochemically for the presence of polysialic acid. In addition, immunoblot analysis was performed in selected tumors. With the exception of Wilms' tumor, none of the tumors investigated was positive for polysialic acid. In Wilms' tumor, blastemal cells and all epithelial components were positive but no immunostaining was observed in the stroma. These observations emphasize the potential value of a monoclonal anti-polysialic acid antibody in identifying blastemal metanephric cells and their epithelial differentiatives in Wilms' tumor.
Virchows Arch B Cell Pathol Incl Mol Pathol 1988
PMID:Evaluation of polysialic acid in the diagnosis of Wilms' tumor. A comparative study on urinary tract tumors and non-neuroendocrine tumors. 290 8

Human genital skin fibroblasts contain both the full-length 110 K androgen receptor protein (AR-B, apparent M(r) approximately 110,000) and an 87 K N-terminally truncated AR isoform (AR-A, apparent M(r) approximately 87,000). These two AR species are structurally analogous to the A- and B-isoforms of the progesterone receptor (PR). We examined the distribution pattern of human AR isoforms in a variety of fetal and adult tissues by Western blot analysis. Relative levels of immunoreactive AR proteins in high salt tissue extracts were estimated by densitometry in comparison to a standard normal genital skin fibroblast preparation. High AR levels (AR-A + AR-B = 0.8-7.7) were present in male and female reproductive tissues from mid-trimester fetuses, including penis, prostate, testis, epididymis, scrotal skin, labial skin, uterus/cervix, and ovary. AR-A and AR-B (0.08-0.9) also were found in 14 non-genital fetal tissues (bladder, fat, lung, great vessel, trachea, muscle, scalp skin, kidney, thyroid, intestine, thymus, ureter, stomach and rectum). AR-A accounted for 4-26% of the AR protein detected in these tissues. Ten other fetal tissues had low levels of AR-B (0.02-0.3) and little or no detectable AR-A. AR-B also was the predominant or only immunoreactive AR species found in 17 adult human tissues. AR levels in adult reproductive tissues (prostate, endometrium, ovary, uterus, fallopian tube, testis, seminal vesicle, myometrium, and ejaculatory duct) ranged from 0.1 to 2.2. Immunoreactive AR (0.4-0.8) also was present in specimens of prostate carcinoma, endometrial carcinoma, thyroid carcinoma and kidney. Lower levels of AR (0.03-0.1) were detected in adult breast, colon, lung and adrenal gland specimens. This study demonstrates that immunoreactive AR protein is present in a wide variety of human fetal and adult tissues and that two AR isoforms are expressed in many tissues.
Mol Cell Endocrinol 1996 Jun 18
PMID:A and B forms of the androgen receptor are expressed in a variety of human tissues. 880 38

Primary vesicoureteric reflux (VUR) is one of the more common genetic disorders. Little is yet known about the genetics of this potentially manageable childhood condition, which is characterised by regurgitation of urine from the bladder to the kidney. The VUR phenotype is associated with shortness of the submucosal segment of the ureter due to congenital lateral ectopia of the ureteric orifice. VUR is found in 30-50% of infants and young children with a urinary tract infection. A serious concern in families with an affected patient is that approximately one half of siblings or offspring will be affected, but up to a half of these affected siblings and offspring may be asymptomatic in childhood. If left untreated, these patients may present later in life with proteinuria, hypertension or renal failure. VUR is the commonest cause of end-stage renal failure in children, and an important cause in adults. As the kidney damage resulting from severe VUR is preventable, early detection is desirable. The techniques for clinical diagnosis are invasive and costly, reinforcing the importance of identification of a gene for VUR to facilitate genetic screening. Although family studies suggest a major dominant gene, the inheritance pattern is still a matter of debate. In rare instances, VUR occurs in association with other diseases, such as the coloboma-ureteric-renal syndrome, which is caused by a PAX2 gene mutation. In this review, we present evidence that this common disorder may be caused by mutations in the developmental pathway of which the PAX2 gene forms a part.
Hum Mol Genet 1996
PMID:Unravelling the genetics of vesicoureteric reflux: a common familial disorder. 887 47

Regional and age specific differences are observed in the sodium nitroprusside induced relaxation responses in the urinary tract. To clarify these differences, guanylyl cyclase activity is assayed in particulate and soluble fractions from the ureter, bladder dome, and urethra of young (11-18 days), adult (90-100 days), and old adult (2-3 years) guinea pigs. The rank order of soluble guanylyl cyclase activities is urethra = ureter > bladder dome with the largest decreases with aging occurring in the bladder. Atrial natriuretic factor (10(7) M) increases particulate guanylyl cyclase activity in the three tissues at all ages tested, with the activity being highest in the ureter. ATP (0.5 mM) activates particulate guanylyl cyclase in the ureter, bladder and urethra of old adult guinea pigs, and enhances atrial natriuretic factor induced activation of particulate guanylyl cyclase in all tissues and at all ages tested. The higher levels of soluble guanylyl cyclase activity in the urethra and ureter compared to the bladder parallel sodium nitroprusside induced relaxation in these tissues.
Mol Cell Biochem 1997 Apr
PMID:Age-dependent changes in particulate and soluble guanylyl cyclase activities in urinary tract smooth muscle. 908 38

It has been shown that ureter ligation increases the biliary excretion of acetaminophen (AA) conjugates, mainly as the sulfate in rats. This study was conducted to examine the effect of nephrotoxicants-that induce renal damage without liver injury on the biliary and urinary excretion of AA metabolites. Renal damage was produced in male S.D. rats, 1 day after dosing with 200 mg/kg p.o. of hexachloro-1,3-butadiene (HCBD), or 3 day after the dosage of 7.5 mg/kg iv of cisplatin (CIS). Renal damage without liver injury was confirmed by measuring serum enzymes, creatinine and BUN levels. AA and its metabolites were measured for 3 hr by HPLC in rats injected iv with 150 mg/kg of AA. The excreted amounts of AA-glucuronide (AA-G), AA-sulfate (AA-S) and AA-glutathione into bile were reduced to 57, 18 and 73% of control rats, respectively, by HCBD. HCBD pretreatment also altered the urinary excretion of AA-G, AA-S and AA-mercapturate to 75, 14 and 118% of controls. CIS drastically reduced the urinary excretion of AA metabolites, whereas this compound significantly enhanced the biliary excretion of AA-S. However, CIS did not cause an increase in the percentage of the dose excreted as AA-G in bile. Both HCBD and CIS caused marked elevations in the blood concentrations of AA-G and AA-S. These findings suggest that: 1) not all renal malfunction results in increased biliary excretion of AA metabolites to compensate for the lack of renal elimination, and 2) the selective reduction in biliary and urinary excretion of AA-S by HCBD appears to occur by mechanism(s) other than through alteration of AA and its metabolites.
Res Commun Mol Pathol Pharmacol 1997 Mar
PMID:Alteration in the biliary and urinary excretion of acetaminophen metabolites by nephrotoxicants in rats. 914 37

Angiotensin type 2 receptor gene null mutant mice display congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT). Various features of mouse CAKUT impressively mimic human CAKUT. Studies of the human type 2 receptor (AGTR2) gene in two independent cohorts found that a significant association exists between CAKUT and a nucleotide transition within the lariat branchpoint motif of intron 1, which perturbs AGTR2 mRNA splicing efficiency. AGTR2, therefore, has a significant ontogenic role for the kidney and urinary tract system. Studies revealed that the establishment of CAKUT is preceded by delayed apoptosis of undifferentiated mesenchymal cells surrounding the urinary tract during key ontogenic events, from the ureteral budding to the expansive growth of the kidney and ureter.
Mol Cell 1999 Jan
PMID:Role of the angiotensin type 2 receptor gene in congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract, CAKUT, of mice and men. 1002 74

The proteins AP65, AP51, AP33 and AP23 synthesized by Trichomonas vaginalis organisms in high iron play a role in adherence. Multigene families encode enzymes of the hydrogenosome organelles, which have identity to adhesins. This fact raises questions regarding the compartmentalization of the proteins outside the organelle and about the interactions of adhesins with host cells. Data here demonstrate the presence of the proteins outside the organelle under high-iron conditions. Fluorescence and immuno-cytochemical experiments show that high-iron-grown organisms coexpressed adhesins on the surface and intracellularly in contrast with low-iron parasites. Furthermore, the AP65 epitopes seen by rabbit anti-AP65 serum that blocks adherence and detects surface proteins were identified, and a mAb reacting to those epitopes recognized the trichomonal surface. Two-dimensional electrophoresis and immunoblot of adhesins from surface-labelled parasites provided evidence that all members of the multigene family were co-ordinately expressed and placed on the trichomonal surface. Similar two-dimensional analysis of proteins from purified hydrogenosomes obtained from iodinated trichomonads confirmed the specific surface labelling of proteins. Contact of trichomonads with vaginal epithelial cells increased the amount of surface-expressed adhesins. Moreover, we found a direct relationship between the levels of adherence and amount of adhesins bound to immortalized vaginal and ureter epithelial cells, further reinforcing specific associations. Finally, trichomonads of MR100, a drug-resistant isolate absent in hydrogenosome proteins and adhesins, were non-adherent. Overall, the results confirm an important role for iron and contact in the surface expression of adhesins of T. vaginalis organisms.
Mol Microbiol 2003 Mar
PMID:Iron and contact with host cells induce expression of adhesins on surface of Trichomonas vaginalis. 1260 29

In previous overexpression studies we revealed a role for the lysosomal membrane protein LIMP-2/LGP85 in lysosomal biogenesis. LIMP-2-deficient mice show an increased postnatal mortality which is associated with a development of a uni- or bilateral hydronephrosis caused by an obstruction of the ureteropelvic junction. An accumulation of lysosomes in epithelial cells of the ureter adjacent to the ureteral lumen and a disturbed apical expression of uroplakin was observed, suggesting an impairment of membrane transport processes. Serious hearing impairment in LIMP-2-deficient animals was indicated by deficits in acoustic startle responses, in brainstem evoked auditory potentials and a reduced endochondral potential. LIMP-2-deficient mice suffer from a massive decline of spiral ganglia in the cochlea concomitant with that of the inner and outer hair cells. These pathological changes begin at the age of 3 months and are probably secondary to a degeneration of the stria vascularis. LIMP-2-deficient mice are also characterized by a peripheral demyelinating neuropathy. Demyelinization was found to be associated with a massive loss of peripheral myelin proteins and an increased activity and expression of lysosomal proteins highlighting a hitherto unknown role of the lysosomal compartment in the development of this myelination disorder. The phenotype of LIMP-2-deficient mice stimulates the search for mutations in human disorders associated with degeneration of the stria vascularis and/or demyelinization of peripheral nerves.
Hum Mol Genet 2003 Mar 15
PMID:LIMP-2/LGP85 deficiency causes ureteric pelvic junction obstruction, deafness and peripheral neuropathy in mice. 1262 Sep 69

By exposing rat fetuses to adriamycin prenatally, a rat model of VATER association has been created. Absence of the fetal bladder is prominent and the kidneys show features of chronic obstruction with hydronephrosis/hydroureter, loss of parenchyma, fewer glomeruli, and less differentiation. The aim of this study was to elucidate this rat model, to determine exactly when the changes in the kidneys develop, hopefully thereby to expand our understanding of congenital obstructive uropathy. Timed-pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were injected intraperitoneally with adriamycin on days 6-9 of gestation. The control group received saline. Fetuses were recovered on gestational days (GDs) 20, 19, 18, 17, 16, 15, 14, 12, and 10 (total, 120 control, 121 treated). Macroscopic features were determined. Serial sections were then taken and stained with hematoxylin and eosin. Comparisons were made under light microscopy. The metanephric kidney first became apparent at GD12. The development of the control and treated kidneys appeared similar till GD18. Beyond this day, the treated kidneys exhibited increasing degrees of distension of Bowman's capsule, ducts, and subsequently pelvis and ureter. There were fewer levels of glomeruli, which were also less differentiated. Less differentiation was also noted in the medulla, and with time this became thin in comparison to the control kidneys. By GD20, the renal pelvis was grossly dilated with a blunted papilla, and the renal parenchyma was thin. Prenatal exposure of rat fetuses to adriamycin results in kidneys that are chronically obstructed, as the majority of the fetuses show absence of the bladder. Absence of renal dysmorphology until GD18, when urine is first produced, suggests strongly that the effect of adriamycin on the kidney is indirect, via agenesis of the bladder and secondary to backpressure from early urine production. This is a unique, simple, and reliable model of fetal obstructive uropathy and will be very useful to facilitate further investigation into its pathophysiology and to explore new treatment options.
Anat Rec A Discov Mol Cell Evol Biol 2004 Jun
PMID:Ontogeny of the VATER kidney in a rat model. 1516 39

Autorhythmicity in the upper urinary tract (UUT) has long been considered to arise in specialized atypical smooth muscle cells (SMC) predominately situated in the most proximal regions of the pyeloureteric system. These atypical SMC pacemakers have been thought to trigger adjacent electrically-quiescent typical SMC to fire action potentials which allow an influx of Ca2+ and the generation of muscle contraction. More recently, the presence of cells with many of the morphological, electrical and immunohistochemical characteristics of interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC), the pacemaker cells of the gastrointestinal tract, have been located in many regions of both the upper and lower urinary tract. This article reviews the evidence from the literature and from our laboratory supporting a role of both atypical SMC and ICC-like cells in the initiation and propagation of pyeloureteric peristalsis in the UUT. We propose a new model in which there are 2 populations of pacemaker cells, high frequency atypical SMC and lower frequency ICC-like cells, both of which can drive electrically-quiescent typical SMC. The relative presence of these 2 populations of pacemaker cells and the relatively-long refractoriness of typical SMC determines the decreasing frequency of contraction with distance from the renal fornix. In the absence of the proximal pacemaker drive from atypical SMC after pyeloureteral/ureteral obstruction or surgery, ICC-like cell pacemaking provides a compensatory mechanism allowing the ureter to maintain rudimentary peristaltic waves and movement of urine from the pyelon towards the bladder.
J Cell Mol Med
PMID:Interstitial cell of Cajal-like cells in the upper urinary tract. 1620 4


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